Air-brake.



` Patented Feb. I9, I90I.

N. A. CHRISTENSEN.

AIR BRAKE.

Applrcntion filed June 12, 1899.)

(No Model.)

q Ui\n*IE,D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NIEIJSl A. CI'IRISTENSEN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

AIR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 668,613, dated February19, 1901.

Application filed Tune 12,1899- Serial No. 720.139. (No model.)

T0 all whom, 'it may concern:

Beit known that I, NIELs A. CHRIs'rENsEN, a subject of the King ofDenmark, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Brakes, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates particularly to that class of air-brake apparatuswhich is designed for use on electric railways and in which thecompressed air for operating the brakes issupplied byelectrically-actuated compressors.

The main objects of the invention are to control by a single engineersvalve all the brakes ot' a number of connected motor-cars each of whichhas a complete air-brake equipment capable of separate and independentoperation, to utilize the compressors of all or a number of connectedmotor-cars for supplying the pressure to operate the brakes of theentire train and thus to avoid providing such cars with compressors of alarger size and greater capacity than is required for the operation ofthe brakes of a single car, to provide for stopping and starting all thecompressors at the same time, to produce and maintain the same pressurein the main reservoi rs ofthe several connected cars, and generally toadapt air-brake apparatus for operation on cars to be run separately orconnected in a train, or in what may be conveniently designated amultiple unit system, in which the several individual brake equipmentsare connected and operated as one.

It consists in certain novel features in the construction andarrangement of component parts ofthe apparatus, as hereinafterparticularly described, and pointed outin the claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic illustration in condensedspace of the air-brake equipment of two cars constructed, arranged, andconnected in accordance with my invention.

In the operation of electric railways it is Jfrequently necessary ordesirable to run motor-cars both separately and connected together intrains. To this end each individual car should be equipped with completeairbrake apparatus capable of independent. op-

eration and also capable when connected with the air-brake equipment ofother ears of operating as a part of a single system. When the air-brakeequipments of several cars are thus connected in a single system, theapparatus should` be so constructed, arranged, and connected that thebrakes on all the cars can be controlled by an engineers valve on thefront or any car of the train and can be simultaneously and equallyapplied and released on all the cars, both in service and emergencyapplications. It is also desirable when a number of cars are soconnected and run together to utilize all or a number of compressors forsupplying the entire system with compressed air, so that it will not benecessary for this purpose to provide individual cars with compressorsand main reservoirs of larger size and capacity than are required foitheoperation of the brakes on single cars.

According to my multiple unit system of control each car is providedwith a complete air br'ake equipment, including air compressor,automatic controller, main reservoir, engineers valves,triplevalve,brakecylinder, andauxiliaryreservoir. Theseseveral parts, whichmay be of well-known or any suitable form and construction, are,together with other parts essential to a multiple unit system, arrangedand connected as follows.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, illustrating the completeair-brake equipment of two cars, it will be necessary to describespecically the equipment of but one car, since each is a duplicate ot'the other:

A designates the compressor, which in the present case is combined withand operated by an electric motor supplied with current from thetrolley-cond uctor.

B is the main reservoir, connected at one end by a pipe a with acompressor and at the other end b y a brauch pipe b with pipe C, whichmay be called ythe main-reservoir pipe, extending the entire length ofthe car and provided at its ends with cut-01T cocks c c and with hosesections and couplings c for connecting it with the corresponding pipesand the main reservoirs of other cars.

D D are the engineers valves, with two of which each car is usually andpreferably provided, one valve being located on the platform or .in thevestibule at each end of the car. Each engineers valve is connected by abranch pipe (Z with the main-reservoir pipe C and by a branch pipe dwith the train-pipe E. These branch pipes are provided above theplatform with cnt-out cocks d2. The train-pipe E, extending the entirelength of the car, is provided at the ends with cut-out cocks e e andwith Flexible hose-sections and pipe-couplings e' for connect-ing itwith corresponding pipes on other cars.

F is the auxiliary reservoir, and G the brakecylinder, connected in theusual way through a triple valve H and by a branch pipe h with thetrain-pipe E and by a branch pipef with the auxiliary reservoir F.

I is a conductors valve, connected by a branch pipe J with thetrain-pipe E and conveniently located for releasing air from thetrain-pipe and applying the brakes in case of emergency.

K is an automatic controller, which is adapted to open and close themotor-circuit, according to the pressure in the main reservoir, in sucha way that when the pressure falls below the desired limit the circuitwill be closed and the compressor will force air into the mainreservoir, and when the pressure therein reaches the desired limit thecircuit will be opened and the compressor stopped. The automaticcontroller is connected by a pipe 7c, provided with a cock 7c', with themain-reservoir pipe C.

L is a cut-out switch placed in the canopy at one end of the car. Oneterminal of this switch is connected with the trolley-conductor l, andthe other terminal is connected by a conductor 2 with one contact of thecontroller K, the other contact of said controller being connected by aconductor 3 with one terminal ot' the compressor-motor, while the otherterminal oi said motor is con neet-cd with the ground or returnconductor 4. The automatic controller K may, however, be located on theground or return side ofthe compressormotor.

lis a small cut-out switch located in the circuit between the automaticcontroller and the compressor-motor.

The pipe a., connecting the compressor with the main reservoir B, isprovided with a cutout cock a and with a check-valve b', which closestoward the compressor and prevents depletion of the main-reservoir pipeand the main reservoirs in case a break or leak occurs in any compressoror pipe a. rIhe branch pipe h, connectingr the train-pipe E with thetriple valve H, is provided with a cut-out cock h', by means of whichthe triple valve, brakecylinder7 and auxiliary reservoir aredisconnected from the train-pipe whenever occasion requires forinspecting or repairing these parts of the apparatus.

Vhiie any well-known engineers valve suitable for automatic service maybe employed, an engineers valve which is provided with an automaticregulating-valve for maintaining a higher pressure in the main reservoirthan in the train-pipe and admitting air from the main reservoir to thetrain-pipe when the engineers valve is in release or running position ispreferably used in my multiple unit system of control. As engineersvalves having such provision are Well known anddo not of themselvesconstitute a part of the present invention, it is not necessary toparticularly illustrate and describe their construction and mode ofoperation.

M M are pressure-gages associated with the engineers valves in thevestibules or on the platforms of the car and connected with both themain-reservoir pipe C and the train-pipe E or with the branches d andd', connecting said pipe with the engineers valves.

5 is a wire, which may be designated as a balancing-wire, extendingthrough the car from end to end and provided at its ends with couplings6 for connecting it with corresponding wires of other cars. It isconnected with the compressormotor circuit between the compressor andthe automatic controller.

My improved apparatus operates as follows: When a car equipped with theapparatus is run alone independently of other cars, the cut-out cocks cand c at the ends of the main reservoir and train-pipes are closed andthe engineers valve, which is not to be used, is placed on lap, and thecut-out cocks (Z2, associated therewith, are closed. By closing thecanopy-switch L when the trolley-conductor l is supplied with currentthe compressor A will be started, provided the pressure in the mainreservoir is below the minimum limit at which the automatic controller Kis adjusted to close the circuit, and will continue to run and force airinto the main reservoir until the pressure therein reaches the maximumlimit at which the controller is adjusted to open the circuit. Then suchmaximum limit is reached, the circuit will be broken and the compressorwill stop and remain quiescent until the pressurein the main reservoirfalls below the minimum limit, whereupon the circuit will be againclosed by the automatic controller, the compressor started, and thepressure in the main reservoir restored, as above explained. The brakesare controlled by means of the engineers valve at either end of the car,both in service and emergency applications,and in release accordingtothe well-known practicein the operation of automatic air-brake systemsemployed on steam-railways. When a numberof cars are connected and areto be run in a train,the main reservoir and train-pipes C and E and thebalancing-wires 5 of the several cars are connccted, as shown in thedrawing, thus producing a single air-brake system which may becontrolled and operated by either of the engineers valves on any of theseveral connected cars, according to the customary practice ou steamrailways. When a number of cars thus equipped are coupled together, asabove mentioned, all of the engineers valves except that by which theent-ire system is to be IOO IIO

Controlled and operated are placed on lap and the associated cocks d2are closed. '[he cocks c and c at the ends` ofthe train are also closed,while the corresponding cocks between the several cars are opened, thusestablishing free communication between the main-reservoir pipes C andbetween the train-pipes E of the several cars. With the relativearrangement of the compressors A and the automatic controllers K (shownin the drawing) one or all of the canopy-switches L may be closed, anyone of said switches, in connection with the balancing-wires 5,affording means for manually controlling the supply of current to allthe com presser-motors of the system. Assn ming that the pressure in themain reservoirs, which is equalized by their connection with each otherthrough the connected pipes C, is below the minimum limit and themotorcircuits through all the controllers are closed,` when acanopy-switch is closed current will iiow through all thecompressor-motors, which Will work simultaneously to raise the pressurein the main reservoirs. As the pressure reaches the maximum limits atwhich the several controllers are adjusted to open the circuit thetrolley connections will be opened; but current will be supplied to allthe motors through their connections with the balancingwires 5 until thelast controller, which is adjusted to break the circuit at the highestmaximum limit, operates to open the trolley connection supplying currentto the entire ai r-brake system. As the controller, which is adjusted toclose the circuit at the highest minimum limit, will be closed when themainreservoir pressure falls,before any of l he other controllers whichare adjusted for lower minimum limits are operated, it will, as long asit is supplied with current through the associated canopy-switch andtrolley connection, control the entire system and the other controllerswill remain open and inoperative. It', however, such controller shouldbecome disabled or be cut out by the associated canopy-switch, thecontroller which is adjusted to open the circuit at the next highestminimum limit would then assume control of the system to the exclusionof other controllers adjusted for lower minimum limits. In this waywhile all of the controllers are in condition to be brought intoservice, if required, the entire system is controlled by only one ofthem, and all the compressors are stopped and started simultaneously,thus equally dividing the work between them.

The automatic controllers K may be located on the ground or return sideof the compressor-motors and the balancing-wires 5 connected with thewires 4 between said controllers and motors. In this case it isnecessary to close the trolley connection by means of the associatedcanopy-switch for each ot' the several compressor-motors that are to beoperated in the multiple unit system, since 'with this arrangement thebalancing-wires will not supply current to the compressor-motor on anygiven ear from thetrolley connection on another car, but will afford acommon ground or return connection for all the motors as long as any oneof the automatic controllers remains closed. In this Way, as in the caseIi rst explained, all the compressormotors which have closed trolleyconnections will be stopped and started at the same time.

When the apparatusis arranged, as shown and described, for automaticservice-that is, when the cars are provided with auxiliary reservoirsand triple valves and provision is made for charging and maintaining therequired pressure in the train-pipes from the main reservoirs when thecontrolling engineers valve is in release or running positiontheoperation of the apparatus as a multiple unit system is like or similarto that of automatic air-brake systems in general use on steam-railways,with the exception that the compressed air is supplied by a number ofcompressors and mainlreservoirs instead of by a single compressor andmain reservoir. The train-pipes E of the several cars being connectedand communicating freely with each other, a single engineers valvesuffices to control the entire system, both for service and emergencyapplications of the brakes, and the pressure in the trainpipes on theseveral cars being equal the brakes on the several cars will be appliedsimultaneously with equal force and will also be releasedsimultaneously.

The apparatus may be adapted for straight air-viz., the operation of thebrakes by the admission and release of main-reservoir air to and fromthe brake-cylinders through the Vtrain-pipes under the direct control ofan engineers valve-by dispensing with the auxiliary reservoirs andtriple valves and the regulating-valves for automatically admitting airfrom the main-reservoir pipes to the trainpipes when the engineersvalves are in release or running position. In this case the electricalconnections, hereinbefore described, serve to stop and start all thecompressors at the same time and to distribute the work equally betweenthem, and the main-reservoir connections serve to equalize the pressuretherein.

The several gages M indicate, in the usual way, both main-reservoir andtrain-pipe pressures.

Various changes in details of construction and arrangement of parts maybe made in the apparatus without departure from theprincipleandintendedscopeof myinvention.

l. In air-brake apparatus the combination with an ai r-co mpressor, mainreservoir,brake cylinder and engineers valve, of train and IIO IIS

main-reservoir pipes connecting the brake cylinder and the mainreservoir with the engineers valve, and provided with couplings forseparately connecting them With the co1'- responding pipes of othercars, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In air-brake apparatus the combination with an aircompressor, mainreservoir,brake cylinder, and engineers valve, of an electric motor foractuating the air-compressor, an automatic controller having a iiuidconnection with the main reservoir for opening and closing themotor-circuit according to variations of the duid-pressure, and abalancingconductor for connecting said motor-circuit with themotor-circuit of other cars, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

3. In air-brake apparatus the combination with an individual air-brakeequipment, comprising an air-compressor, main reservoir, brake-cylinderand engineers valve, of an electric motor for actuating saidair-compressor, a switch for manually connecting said motor with thesupply-conductor, an automatic controller having a fluid connection withthe main reservoir for opening and closing the mortor-circuit accordingto variations in the duid-pressure, and a balancing-conductor having acoupling for connecting said motor with the motor-circuit of another carbetween its motor and automatic controller, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

4. In air-brake apparatus the combination of an air-compressor, a mainreservoir connected with the compressor, a brake-cylinder, an auxiliaryreservoir, engineers valves, a main-reservoir pipe connected with themain reservoir and engineers valves, and having cnt-out cocks andcouplings for connecting it with corresponding pipes on other cars, atrain-pipe connected with said engineers valves and having cut-out cocksand couplings for connecting it with corresponding pipes on other cars,and a triple valve connected with the train-pipe, brake-cylinder andauxiliary reservoir, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In air-brake apparatus the combination of an air-compressor, an electricmotor for actuatingr said compressor, a main reservoir connected withthe discharge of said compressor, an automatic controller having aHuid-actuating connection with the main reservoir and governing thesupply of current to the motor according to main-reservoir pressure, abalancingconductor connected with the motor-circuit and provided withmeans for connecting it with corresponding conductors on other cars,engineers valves, a pipe connected with the main reservoir and with saidengineers valves, and provided with means for connecting it withcorresponding pipes on other cars, a train-pipe connected with saidengineers valves and provided with means for connecting it withcorresponding pipes on other cars, a brake-cylinder, an auxiliaryreservoir and a triple Valve having connections with the train-pipe,brake-cylinder and auxiliary reservoir and controlling communicationbetween them, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a complete air-brake equipment for a single railway-car,comprising an air-coinpressor, main reservoir, brake-cylinder andengineer-s valves, a train-pipe connected with said brake-cylinderandengincers valves and provided at the ends of the car with cut-out cocksand with couplings for connecting it with corresponding pipes on othercars, and a pipe connected with the main reservoir and engineers valvesand provided at the ends of the car with cut-out cocks and withcouplings for connecting it with corresponding pipes and main reservoirson other cars', substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In a complete air-brake equipment for a single rai1waycar, comprisingan electricallyactuated air-compressor, main reservoir, automaticcontroller adapted to stop and start said compressor according tomain-reservoir pressure, and a switch for manually opening and closingthe trolley connection of the compressor motor, a balancing conductorconnected with the motor-circuit and provided at the ends of the carwith means for connecting it with like conductors on other cars,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In air-brake apparatus the combination with a main reservoir,brake-cylinder and engineers valve, of train and main-reservoir pipesconnecting the brake-cylinder and the main reservoir with the engineersvalve, and provided with couplings for separately connecting them withcorresponding pipes of other cars, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

In witness whereof I hereto affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

NIELS A. CHRISTENSEN.

Witnesses:

CHAs. L. Goss, E. H. BoTTUM.

